meyer



F. w. MEYER May 8, 192 3 TRUNK LOCK Filed Sept. 28 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 V \nwmaq May 8, 1923.

F. W. MEYER TRUNK LOCK 2 Sheet s-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 28. 1922 Patented May 8, 1923.

UNITED STATES 1,454,32e PATENT orr cs.

FRANK W. MEYER, OF OSI-IKOSH \VISCONSIN. ASSIGNOR TO THE OSHKOSI-I TRUNK COMPANY, OF OS HK OSH, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

TRUNK LOCK.

Application filed September 28, 1922. Serial No. 591,027.

To, a?! whom it may concern Be it known that l. FRANK \V. Marian, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oshkosh, in the county of Winnebago and State of \Visconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Trunk Locks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to locking devices for wardrobe and other trunks, and broadly is of the general type covered by my Reissue Patent No. 1%,143', granted May 30, 1916, wherein the manipulation of the locking hasp on the outside of the trunk operates a plurality of locks at spaced points inside of the trunk, thus locking the latter at a number of points in its length.

()ne object of my present invention is to provide a locking mechanism wherein all the locks are arranged outside of the trunk, thus avoiding the use of the inside locks as heretofore and giving more room in the trunk, and furthermore doing away with weal-toning any of the trunk parts by avoiding cutting holes in them to accommodate the inside locks, as heretofore, and moreover allow for any vertical spacing ofthe drawers in the drawer section without being hampered or interfered with by any of tlrejocking members of the trunk.

Another object of my present invention is to provide a mechanism which will automatically draw the two trunk sections together when the locking members are brought into engagement for locking the trunk and automatically push them apartwhen the locking mechanism is moved into position to unlock the trunk, thereby iechanically and positively overcoming any friction that may be exerted against the trunk sections when standing on the floor to resist bringing the trunk sections together throughout all portions of their length when closing them or hindering opening when the trunk is unlocked.

A further object of my invention is to provide a locking mechanism whichis simple in its construction and operation and which may be readily applied to the outside of the trunk, thus saving expense and labor in installing the same.

The invention consists further in the matters hereinafter described and more particularly set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a front view of a wardrobe trunk equipped with a locking mechanism of my invention, the trunk sections being shown closed and locked;

Fig. 2 is a like view showing the trunk still closed but unlocked;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of said trunk showing the two hinged sect-ions thereof unlocked and swung into open position;

.Fig. *1 is an enlarged view of the locking fixture removed from the trunk to more clearly shown the manner in which the and wise movable rod is connected with the swinging hasp and the several movable locking members;

Fig. 5 is a view partly in section of one of the locking devices operated by said rod, the parts being shown in locked positions;

Fig' 6 is a like view of the same parts whenunlocked; and

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line TT 0f Fig. 6.

The wardrobetrunk shown in Figs. 1 to 3 is of the center opening type, that is, it has two hinged together upright sections 1 and 2-, with a hinged lid 3 closing the open upper end of the wardrobe section 1. The other section 2 has a closed upper end and is provided with a plurality ofdrawers 4, 4. The latter are slidably supported in an open frame secured in the section 2 against the top, bottom, and side walls thereof, as in trunks of this general kind. This frame has side members 5, 5 secured to the sidewalls of the section 2 'to reinforce them and top and bottom members 6, 7 againstthe top and bottom walls ot'said trunk section, as shown in Fig. 3. From thelatter, it will be noted that the side members 5, 5 are continuous and unbroken from top to bottom.

The side walls of the wardrobe section 1 are reinforced by cleats 8, 8. These extend from the bottom of said section up to near the upper end thereof and are continuous and unbroken'throughout, as shown in Fig. 3, except where they have shallow notches to receive the lugs on the shoe box 9 at the bottom of said section. The upper end of this section 1 carries the'extensible trolleys 10, 10 for the garment hangers 11, 11 and also the-side racks for the clothes-retainer or compressor 12, as in trunks of the kind illustrated herein.

The locking fixture of my invention comprises. broadly, a plurality of locking devices 13, let, 14, all located on the outside of the trunk, together with an operating rod 15 inside of the trunk and carried by the wardrobe section 1.

The locking device 13 comprises a locking hasp made in two hinged together sections 16 and 17. the latter being tired to a stub 18 rotatably mounted in the section 1. Said stub 18 is connected by a link 19 with the rod 15 in somewhat the same manner as disclosed in my said Reissue Patent No. 1&143. The hasp section 1'? carries at its swinging end a key operable locking mechanism to enter and lock in a receiving socket 20 on the outside of the drawer section 2 as in said reissue patent.

niach locking device 1 L comprises members 21, 22 secured by rivets 23, 23 to the respective trunk sections 1 and 2 in alignment and adj acentthe meeting edges of said sections. The drawer section 2 is provided with a valance or metalstrip 2%: on the outside and surrounding the open edge thereof. This valance projects beyond such edge and ov irlaps the opposed edges of the wardrobe section 1 when the trunk is closed. The forward part of the member 22 is secured to this valance and the rear part to the trunk section2. Said member is recessed on its inside, as at 25, to accommodate the valence strip 2 1, as shown in Fig. 7. Said member 22 is provided with a. forwardly projecting 'iixed locking member 26 pro vided with a slot or eye 27 to be engaged by a movable locking member 28 in the other member 21. j

1 The member 21 is in the form of a hollow casing to house the locking member 28, there being a chamber 29 in said casingfor that purpose. as shown in Figs. 5 to 7. Said casing 21 is set back from the adjacent edge of the trunk section 1 to permit the valance strip 24 to overlapthe same when the trunk is closed. The locking member 28 is fixed to a relatively short pin or stud 3O rotatably carried by the trunk section 1. and extending;- therethrough and through the outer wall of the casing 21. The portion of the stud 30 on which the locking member 28 is mounted is preferably made square to lit in a square opening in the locking member so that by rotating the stud 30 the locking member will be turned. The inner end of the stud 30 projects into the inside of thetrunksection 1 behind the adjacent cleat 8,

side with a somewhat hook-shaped locking projection 83 to enter the slot or eye 27 in the fixed locking member 26 when the latter extends into the casing 21. Said locking member 28 is also provided with a cam shaped projection 34: to operate against the end of the li xed locking member 26 for moving the trunk sections apart while the locking devices are being unlocked.

lVhen the trunk sections 1, 2 are closed and locked, the parts occupy the positions shown in Fig. 1 and the hooks 33 of the locking members 28 are engaged with the fixed locking members 26, as shown in Fig. 5.

To unlock the trunk, the hasp 18 is unlocked from its socket 20. swung outward from the same, and then rotated or turned bodily upward into the upright position shown in Fig.2. During this movement, the bar 15 is moved endwise upward through the link 19 and by the links 31,31 the several movable locking members 28 are turned downward carrying their locking projections or hooks 83 out of the eves 27 in the fixed locking" members 26. The parts in such positions are detailed in F ig. 6. As the members 28 are thus turned, their cam projections 34.- operate against the ends of the fixed locking members 26 to force them away from the casingj21, thereby mechanically and positively pushing or moving the two trunk sections 1 and 2 apart. as shown in Fig. 2. This separates the trunk sections 1, 2 sufliciently to readily and easily open them. This separating action is automatic during the actuation of the locking fixture and overcomes any friction of the trunk on the floor to resist the opening movement.

To look the trunk, the sections 1 and 2 are brought together into the position shown in Fig. 2. Complete closing of the trunk is prevented, at this time, by the members 26 contacting against the ram projections of the locks 28. as shown in Fig. 6. Turning the hasp 13 downward moves the bar 15 downward and turns the locks 28, carrying their hooks 33 into the eyes or slots 26. As the hooks 38 are turned into the eyes 27 they operate on the members 26 to draw the trunk sections 1 and 2 into tight contact, as shown in Fig. 1. WVhen this has been accomplished, the locking hasp is swung into locked engagement with its socket 20 and the trunk is locked throughout. This drawing action is also automatic and, being mechanical, overcomes any friction of the trunk on the floor to hinder or retard the closing of the sections.

By the construction shown and described, the trunk is locked at a plurality of points in its length and all of the locking devices are on the outside of the trunk. This does away with all looks inside. Having all of the locks on the outside avoids cuttiiig holes or slots through the reinforcing walls or cleats and 8 or the two trunk sections and thus prevents weakening them. This also allows the drawers 4 in the section to be made all the same horizontal length because no space is needed at the ends of several of the drawers to accommodate the inside locks, as heretofore. Moreover, this allows the drawers at to be spaced apart vertically any distance required, and permits making the drawers of whatever depth desired.

The locking devices Ll having the function of automatically and positively drawing the two trunk sect-ions together when the locks are locked and automatically and positively moving them apart when the locks are unlocked, is of great advantage. It overcomes any resistance that may be offered by the weight of the trunk on the floor or the floor covering to hinder proper closing of the trunk sections because the mechanism is positive and pulls the trunk sections together at several parts in their height .regardless of what resistance may be offered. It also overcomes any resistance to hold the trunk sections together when they are unlocked, and thusmakes opening and closing of the trunk easy and permits it being done with convenience and dispatch because it is not necessary to reach down and close the gap whichwould necessarily be should there be no means provided adjacent the bottom of the trunk for this purpose. Locating all otthe locking devices on the outside of the trunk savesexpense and labor in applying the same.

While I have shown and described herein indetail a trunk locking mechanism of my invention, it is of course to be understood that the details of construction and arrangement of partsmay be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a trunk haviiig two hingei'l together sections, of locking means therefor, con'iprising a plurality of spaced locking devices carried by said tions and all located on the outside thereof. one of said lock ng devices consisting of a movable locking hasp on one section and a cooperating part therefor on the other section, the other of said locking devices having co-operating locking members on the respective trunk sections, and means carried by one of said sections and actuated by said hasp on being turned into and out of a position substantially parallel to the adjacent edges of said trunk sections for looking and unlocking said last named locking members.

2. The combination with a trunk having two hinged 7 together sections, of locking means thereton comprising a plurality of spaced locking devices carried by said sections and all on the outsidethereoi, one of said locking devices consisting of a movable locking hasp on one section and a co-operating part therefor on the other section, the other of said locking devices having lixed and movable locking; members on the respective trunk sections and an en'dwise movable bar carried by one of said sections on the inside thereof and actuated by said hasp for moving said movable locking members into and out of lockingengagement with the fixed ones. 1

3. The combination with a trunk having two hinged together sections of locking means therefor, comprising a plurality of spaced locking devices carried by said sections, one of said locking devices consisting or'a movable locking hasp on one section and a co-operating part therefor on the other section, the other of said locking devices having co-operating locking members on the respective trunk sections, and means carried by one of said sectionsrand actuated by said hasp for locking and. unlocking said locking members. the latter having co-acting means for automatically and positively drawing the trunk sections together on being locked and moving the sections apart on beingunlocked.

ii:. The combination with a trunk having two hinged together sections, of locking means therefor, comprising a plurality of spaced locking devices carried by said sections and all located on the outside thereof, one of said locking devices consisting of a movable lockinghasp on one section and a (to-operating parttheretoron the other section, the other of said locking devices havingfixed and movable locking members on the respective trunk sections, and an endwise movable bar CZHL'lXl by one of said sections on the inside thereof and connected with said movable locking members for moving the same. said bar being actuated by said hasp for moving said movable locking members into and out of locking engagement with the fixed ones, said locking members having coacting means for automatically and positively drawing said sections together on being locked and moving the sections apart on being unlocked.

5. The combination with a. trunk having two hinged together sections, of locking means therefor, comprising a plurality of locking devices carried by said sections along the front edges thereof and arranged between and adjacent the top and bottom of the trunk, said locking devices being all located on the outside of said sections, the upper locking device consisting of a locking hasp rotatably mounted on one section and a receiving socket therefor on the other section. the other locking devices having fixed locking members on one section and movable locking members rotatably mounted on the other section, an endwise movable barcarried by one of said sections on the inside thereof and connected by links with said movable locking members, and means connecting said bar wit-h said hasp for turning the movable locking members into and out of locking engagement with the fixed ones on turning said hasp.

(S. The combination with a center opening wardrobe trunk having two hinged together sections, of locking means therefor, comprising a plurality of locking devices carried by said sections along the front edges thereof and arranged between and adjacent the top and bottom of the trunk, the upper locking device being on the outside of the sctions and consisting of a movable looking hasp on one section and a co-operating part therefor on the other section, the other locking devices having fixed and movable locking members on the respeLtiYe sections, and means carried by one of said sections and actuated by said hasp for locking and unlocking said locking members, the latter having coacting means for automatically and positively drawingthe trunk sections tightly together along the entire length thereof on being locked and separating the trunk sections by moving them apart on being unlocked.

7. The combination with a trunk having two hinged together sections, of a locking means therefor, comprising a plurality of spaced locking devices carried by said sections, one of said locking devices being located on the outside of said sections and consisting of a movable locking hasp on one section and a co-operating part therefor on the other section, the other of said locking devices each having a fixed locking member with a slot therein on one section and a movable locking member rotatably mounted. on the other section, said movable locking members having locking hooks to be moved into and out ot' locked engagement with the slots in said fixed members, and means carried by one. of said sections and actuated by said hasp for turning said movable locking members.

8. The combination with a trunk having two hinged together sections, of locking means therefor, comprising a plurality of spaced locking devices carried by said secthe other section, the other of said locking devices each having a fixed locking member with a slot therein on one section and a movable locking member rotatably mounted on the other section, said movable locking members having locking hooks and cam projections, the latter operating on the adjacent ends of the fixed locking members to more the trunk sections apart on being unlocked and the former to enter said slots and to lock and draw the sections together on being locked, and means carried by one of said sections and actuated by said has-p for turning said movable locking member into and out of locking engagement with the fixed ones.

9. The combination with a trunk having two hinged together sections, of locking means therefor, comprising a. plurality of spaced locking devices carried by said sections. one of said locking devices being 10- :ated on the outside of said sections and consisting of a movable locking hasp on one section and a co-operating part therefor on the other section, the other of said l0cl(- ing devices each having a fixed lockingmene her with a slot therein on one section and a movable locking member rotatablv mounted on the other section, said movable members having hooks and cam projections, the latter operating against the adjacent ends of the fixed locking members to move the sections apart on being unlocked and the former entering said slots to draw and lock "the sections together on being locked, means carried by one of said sections and actuated by said hasp for turning the movable locking members into and out of locking engagement with the fixed ones. and a casing housing each of the movable locking men'ibers having an opening therein to allow the associated lined locking member to en ter and be withdrawn trom the same in cloa ing and opening of said sections.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I affix my signature, this 22nd day of September, A. D. 1922.

FRANK V. MEYER.

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